We are indeed a lovely lot of mindless drones. The state of our nation is in free-fall. This is the product of our own numb skulls. Thank you Facebook!

It would be one thing to say that we had no choice in the matter. Perhaps an evil government entity snuck some hypnotic substance into our junk food causing us to loose the power of reason and abandon maturity. Perhaps we are being manipulated by the evil government entity.

But such is not the case. We have done this to ourselves. We, through our self-destructive level of complacency and intellectual sloth have given over everything that is ours, including our capacity to reason to a cacophony of entertainment media and our lessers on Capitol Hill.

Of course, I paint with a wide brush. There are individuals who work hard every day to make you aware of the ocean of inanity we are happily drowning in. Some work in the very entertainment industry I mentioned. You can actually find them on CNN, FOX News, the U. S. Government and on multiple internet sites like this one.

Arrogant, you say? Who am I to set myself on such a lofty pedestal? Well, you might have a point if I were discussing complex issues like Quantum Mechanics, microbiology or how a Slinky can walk down the steps, all of which are far beyond my capacity for understanding.

But I’m not. It is much simpler than all that. I am speaking here of our ability to know when we are being played; manipulated. The game is ubiquitous and depressingly obvious. And nearly all of us either ignore it or voluntarily dive into the cesspool and swim around in it. Worse, many of us contribute extra layers of excrement to it in places like Facebook and Twitter.

Every day, we tune in to our favorite echo chamber and drink stupid through a fire hose. Whatever the issue – taxes, immigration, Hollywood’s adolescent celebration of the word “fuck”, there seems to be two basic reactions among the vast majority of people: ignoring the issue (I can’t blame you, but you do so, often at your peril) or jumping into the fray with mindless and/or intentionally offensive comments. And most of what I read in FB threads and from “professional” news personalities alike, do not inform, deal in truth or contribute to the betterment of anything.

Pick any talk program or any FB thread – that isn’t about kitties playing with toilet paper – and ferret out the comments that are based on reason. Then look at the rest. Do a running tally on both. It will take you perhaps two or three threads and ten comments each to spot the pattern I speak of. The only difference between FB drones and “professional” commentators is splashier presentation and a big budget. And I’ll provide an example in just a sec.

But almost all of it slavishly serves a phony “side” in a non-existent battle between forces that commentators couldn’t define if you paid them to do it. I will have to break down that comment in a separate article. But it is probably the root of the intellectual abyss we find ourselves in.

But here’s the upshot of things we are seeing, wall-to-wall, on immigration this week. The newsies messed up. Last week Trump had the best week he’s had in a while and the Mueller Investigation, for the same reason, had it’s worst. A few basic truths trickled out into the light of day.

There was a sudden spark of outrage among parts of the population, enough to trigger an all-out response by the entertainment/news industry to change the subject.

[No, I am not a Trump supporter. Read my work. The words “President Trump” still do not roll easily off my tongue, although I don’t question his occupation of the office. I simply throw the bullshit flag wherever bullshit bubbles up.]

We have had the immigration issue on slow boil for decades. It is a tool both parties use to keep you from focusing on real issues, like the fact that Fannie and Freddie are nearly broke again and will soon need another trillion-dollar bailout. This will make 2008 look like a 3-point market correction.

So look over here!

Don’t look at the most brazen abuse of the presidency in our history (all the things Obama did to squash opponents – that would be the Mueller thing no one is supposed to focus on)!

We are “imprisoning” innocent (?) people who broke a law and are now being called on it! How dare we?

Leave alone the fact that the processing these people face is a goddamn welcome wagon when compared to the shitholes they just left behind. Don’t consider the man-hours and effort and money spent to make them comfy while they await almost inevitable release onto our streets. Ignore the fact that MAYBE 3% will ever show up for the hearing they will surely dodge at the border.

YOU ARE ORDERED TO ACCCEPT THE FACT THE DONAL TRUMP IS A NAZI AND ALL THE PEOPLE WORKING ON THE BORDER ARE NAZIS.

Or if you are on the opposing side:

THIS IS PROOF THAT WE NEED A BORDER WALL!

Both those statements are, of course, bullshit.

It was and continues to be pathetically predicable. I use illegal immigration as an example because it happens to be the line of bullshit run on us right now, and as it develops the bullshit continues to pile up. It is simply the timeliest demonstration of how we are being played.

The laws and regulations protecting illegals crossing the southern border are voluminous, so much so that they are almost impossible to enforce. That is intentional.

So (I’ll say it – President Trump) signs an executive order* directing that families be kept together.

And this is where the predictability continues. It was precisely what politicians, newsies and stupid people on FB had been chanting since the IG report showed how vile and corrupt the FBI and Justice Department had become. “Keep the families together” was the phrase heard in every pass on your Facebook page and several times a minute on every “news” program.

So Trump says okay, keep the families together.

This morning what do we see in “newspapers”, commentaries, and on social media? IT’S NOT ENOUGH! IT DOESN’T INCLUDE GRANDPARENTS, COUSINS, AUNTS AND UNCLES.

WTF? (I characterized my reaction thus for the FB drones) What that means is: who are these people kidding? No one, and I mean no one, ever intended to include extended family in this phony protest. You didn’t, Mika Brzezinski didn’t, even the Four Morons didn’t. But the whiners had to add that in today because their demands about taking kids from their moms were met. Some people just can’t take “yes” for an answer. People like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.

The fact is, this is all fuelled by a simple anti-Trump agenda. It isn’t real. The folks crying about illegal immigrants today, on both sides of the argument, will be on to the next shiny object when told to be by the “news” entertainers. Only a negligible few will fight for or against illegals as they always have. The rest will have made themselves feel good, having contributed to the stupidity of their fellow man.

Let’s get a taste of how things get so blown out of proportion.

This is Joe Scarborough on the child separation issue: “I know children are being ripped from their mother’s arms, even while they’re being breast-fed. I know children are being marched away to showers, marched away to showers. Being told they are — just like the Nazis — said that they were taking people to the showers and then they never came back.”

That has got to be the single most irresponsible, most appalling thing I have ever heard from a “news” entertainer. That idiot compared holding your child in the custody of caregivers while you await processing (a reward for committing a crime) to killing people in gas chambers with Zyclon-B! And the stupid people all over social media jumped right on it. They loved it!

As an aside, I was just wondering if Mistress Mika made him say it. Perhaps she had him on his knees in a leather G-string during show prep.

And Scarborough is not alone. There are endless references to Nazis throughout the “news” and from Capitol Hill. It’s a common theme when criticizing Trump. And it can never be defined. Even the people using the term “nazi”, in these endless I-hate-Trump contexts, wouldn’t know a nazi from a kumkuat.

There was a time, I would say 4 or 5 years ago, when Scarborough would have not survived an hour in his present position, for a comment so vile. Not today. Today, like I said, you drink your stupid through a fire hose, and most of you are dumb enough to accept it. That’s how far we have fallen.

And can you imagine if George Will had made such a comment about an Obama policy? Even the exact same policy? He’d have gotten a double whammy for the crappy nazi comment AND being racist for disagreeing with Dear Leader Obama. Either way, he’d have been escorted from the studio during the next commercial break.

So here’s a challenge: the next time you are told to look over at the new shiny object, take a look around at what they would rather not talk about. And I mean the “they” on both sides of the aisle. You will find, almost without exception, the big headlines are not the most important political or social issue you should be focusing on.

More on this and related topics to come.

Maybe I’ll go back to talking about some of Trump’s bullshit. That will make some of my friends who think they are “liberal” happy.

*This is total bullshit in that he has no authority to do this. The laws he addressed can only be addressed legislatively. “But – B. Hussein did it, so why can’t we?” comes the chant from people who think they are conservative.

I Still Can’t Believe Trump Is Serious!

In a campaign season dominated by the ridiculous, one recurring theme stands out, Donald Trump’s border wall. To a person opposed to illegal immigration, as I am, the idea of building a wall to keep illegals out sounds like a good idea – for about six seconds. It takes very little critical thinking to conclude the idea is not only ludicrous but an unworkable waste of resources.

General George Patton is often quoted as saying, “Fixed fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of man. Anything built by man, can be destroyed by him.” This speaks to the first and most obvious reason we don’t need a wall. From the moment the first shovel of dirt is drawn, efforts to defeat the wall will begin. A physical obstacle, as often as keeping some people out, draws others toward it with a desire to thwart or destroy it. Drug runners and coyotes will enhance their reputations, and thus their paydays, by creating ways to overcome this fixed barrier. If it works at all, it will work for only a short time. Walls, locks, doors, etc. are all created to keep honest people honest. Dishonest or desperate people will eventually render these things obsolete in pursuit of their needs.

The “They-can-do-it, why-can’t-we?” Argument:

Have you heard this old saw? “Israel has a wall and it works!”

Well, it works most of the time. People often do get over, under or around it. And the Israeli wall has a luxury we don’t have in this country – a nearly inexhaustible supply of personnel to man it. They have mandatory service and huge military reserves per capita. These troops need something to do while not fighting a war. To man a 400 mile wall is no great challenge. And it is not against the Israeli Constitution to do so. Conversely, we have two problems. Our wall is supposed to be almost 2000 miles long. Manning it the way the Israelis man there’s will be mighty unpopular, especially among the soldiers sent to do it. Then there’s the little question of the Constitution.

Oh, I can hear the outcry already from the Wall lovers. Well, Obama didn’t follow the Constitution or the law when he redefined immigrants and even telegraphed his desire to have more people cross the border illegally!

I agree with that 100%. Obama has abetted criminal activity on the part of illegals. He should face charges. He won’t, of course. But you don’t fix that with further debasement of the same laws. This country is not ready to have federal troops manning checkpoints and possibly aiming weapons at us. Civilian entities charged with doing so are stretched thin. They will not be able to cover our Wall the way Israel does theirs. And we have no provision for the Army to do it.

I Stole Donald’s Idea…Sorry.

With all this in mind, and eager to demonstrate how competition is good for the buyer, I hit on an idea last week. I sent the Mexican Embassy in DC the following email.

I have been watching Donald Trump going on about building a wall for a year now. In his words, “It’s going to be a great wall; a GREAT, GREAT wall. Let me tell you.” Then he always goes on to say, “And Mexico is going to pay for it, believe me.” Why would you do that? I am not altogether sold on the idea of Trump’s wall, but if Mexico is interested in paying for a wall in the United States, why wait until election day?

I was recently combating erosion on my property and hit upon a brilliant idea. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. I already built a wall. It is…well, perhaps not great…but it’s pretty nice. And it is very practical.

My idea was to let Mexico pay for this wall instead of the Trump wall.

Think of the advantages with the deal I am offering. It’s quick, easy and far less expensive than the deal Mr. Trump is offering. And the work is already done! Frankly, I don’t see why you would even consider what Mr. Trump is offering. It sounds terribly pricey and does nothing for the curb appeal of either country.

If you prefer my wall, and IF Donald Trump becomes president and says it’s time to build a wall in the U.S., you can say, “No problem. We already built one in Mississippi. But good luck building yours, Donald.” And if Donald is not elected, his campaign can say, “Well, at least Mexico was nice enough to pay for a wall, anyway.” Trump saves face. Everybody wins!

I’ve taken the liberty of attaching the invoices for my retaining wall. The total comes to $182.74, USD. I subtracted $15.26. You shouldn’t have to pay for my light bulbs too.

But wait! There’s more!

In the spirit of international cooperation and because I had a great time in Playa Del Carmen, I am not going to charge you for labor. So, you have that going for you.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your considered reply. And I sincerely wish you all the best.

Very Respectfully,

Matthew E. Jordan III

Yes, I really sent the receipts and pictures of my tiny wall. I hope the Embassy takes the email with the humor intended. I hope they enjoy reading it. I hope they actually cut me a check.

My Wall. An ankle-high marvel of engineering.

The funniest send-up I’ve seen on the Wall issue was the treatment it received in South Park. In the episode, Canada decided to build a wall to keep Americans out. Needless to say, Americans had all the reactions you’d expect. Insult, resentment, curiosity. All the Wall really did was to interfere with the natural rhythm of life on the border and hurt both economies.

When asked what Canada was hiding behind the wall, the response was one that will become legend in comedy history: “[long pause]…Don’t worry ah-boot it.”

The Wall That Never Was (A Remake)

Another reason to reject the wall as ludicrous is that it will never, ever be built. I am of the opinion that the wall talk is just a populist rant. It gets good poll numbers among those who believe it. But let’s assume Trump is sincere. He REALLY wants to build the wall. They’ll start it. There will be ribbon cuttings and politicians with chrome-plated shovels turning over clods of dirt. Men with hard hats will move in and get to work. From that day forward, every foot of the structure will be challenged in court. There will be case after case, genuine and frivolous, filed. Most will be from landowners or environmentalists representing every species living within 100 miles of the wall. They’ll all get their hearing. Injunctions will roll out by the wagonload. Work will stop and start. Contractors will have to give up to control losses. After a few years it will be announced that due to costs and interference the wall won’t be built. Or it will just be left to die quietly with no announcement. But I can assure you that at the end of Trump’s tenure, whether it is four or eight years, there will only be a few sparse, abandoned sections of what was intended to be a wall from the southeast tip of Texas to the Pacific. It will be exactly like last time when we were promised a wall in exchange for amnesty for millions of illegals.

The only way we will reduce the numbers of illegals coming into this country is to make it as uncomfortable as possible for those who try. Enforce existing law. No welfare, no food stamps, no Medicaid, no housing assistance for illegals. And damn sure, no Social Security! If churches and charities want to try to provide all that, fine. Their illegal beneficiaries will still be deported when caught.

If the federal government is too corrupt or cowardly to enforce its own laws, states and municipalities have the right to declare themselves illegal alien no-go zones. By not enforcing the law, the federal government forfeits the right to interfere in such enforcement by state and local government. If, for example, Jackson County, MS decides it wants no illegals there, they have a right to pass laws proscribing the hiring or housing of illegals. It would be the equal opposite of sanctuary cities. Just watch the real estate values shift!!!

It will take real effort on the part of those against illegal immigration to force corrupt politicians and their crony business partners to follow the law. I doubt 98% of the people reading this will ever lift a finger.

Matt Jordan is a travel writer, political commentator and author of Street Politics: It Aint Your Daddy’s GOP Anymore!